NACCIMA kicks against planned increase in electricity tariff

21 December 2015, Lagos – The National Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mines and Agriculture on Monday cautioned the Federal Government against increasing the electricity tariff in the country.

*Power distribution transformer.

The National Vice President of NACCIMA, Prince Billy Gillis-Harry, who gave the warning in Abuja said that there was the need to involve all stakeholders before the federal government can finally take a decision on what the consumer will pay for electricity.

He said that before the proposal for the increase in tariff, consumers have been paying more than what they consumed because of what he described as inefficiency in the system.

He said, “Actually we do not need to muzzle Nigeria because for any policy or projection, ordinarily a minister should not be the one canvassing for that, there should be processes by which those cost should be evaluated.

“Whether we like it or not we are paying more, because if your bill is N2000 you will discover that your consumption is not up to N1000, there is a compromise in the system so when they gave that bulk of responsibility back to ordinary Nigerian, you are just trying to kill the zeal of that Nigerian to become somebody

“We don’t want Nigeria to be discouraged before the Federal Government take any policy decision to make this increase they should work with the stakeholders and check what it is.

“We need to know why you want to do it, what is the history, the reason why it has not happened or why it has failed, and we must be able to talk about it.”

He also called on the federal government to be cautions when removing the subsidy on petrol in order for it not to have negative impact on the people

“I believed that Nigerians are willing to embrace change for the value that will give them a better standard of living.

“You cannot wake up and say that you are removing subsidy in fuel. Yes,we are the ones advocating for it to give room for competition but there has to be a process for how it should be done not just a policy statement coming from a minister,” he added.